Filling-head for bottling-machines



S. KAYE.

FILLING HEAD, FOR BOTTLING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 7, 1916- i Patented Feb.--17,1920.

3 SHEETS-$HEEI I.

Y s. KAYE.

FILLING HEAD; FOR BOTTLING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED. FEB-711916- 1,331,015. Patented Feb. 17,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEEI 2 32 a as I 37 31 S. KAYE.

' FILLINIG HEAD! FOR BOTILING MACHINES.

APPLICATION. mp0 FEB. 1, 1.916.

1,331,015. Pa tnted Feb.17, 1920.

v 3 SHEETS-SHEEI 3.

SAMUEL KAYE, OF COLUMBUS, MISSISSIPPI.

FILLING-HEAD FOR BOTTLING-MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1'7, 1920.

Application filed February '7, 1916. Serial No. 76,792.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL KAYE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Lowndes and State of Mississippi, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Filling-Heads for Bottling-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in filling-heads for bottling-machines, and the present invention is an improvement on the invention set forth in Letters Patent No. 1,186,481, granted to me June 6, 1916, and application Serial No. 818,634, filed July 2, 191a, the present invention comprising an improved organization of elementsin a filling-head adapted first to receive the bottle-crown from a finger in position in alinement beneath, upon which the crown is fed and rests firmly, and which finger inserts it within the throat of the filling-head when the latter is lowered upon the finger, after which the filling-head is lifted and again lowered upon the mouth of the bottle to be filled, which latter is first hydraulically clamped at the mouth and held in this position until filled with the liquid it is to contain, after which the mouth is released and the filling-head is lowered still further to a point where the crown is placed upon the bottle, and its edge is crimped around the bead at the mouth of the bottle, and the head finally withdrawn and the bottle released.

The details above outlined in a general way will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section showing the filling-head lowered upon the finger, and the finger at a point where the bottle-crown has been deposited in the throat of the fillinghead, ready to crown and seal a bottle;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, but looking in the opposite direction and showingthe bottlemouth hydraulically clamped and in the act of receiving its liquid contents;

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional view showing the hydraulic clamp released, the bottle filled, and the crown just after it has been clamped upon the bottle-mouth in the throat of the filling-head;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectioiial view corresponding to Fig. 3 but showing the action whcilch takes place with a'short-necked bottle; an

Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of the finger which receives and places the crown in the filling-head when lowered upon it.

A, represents the main cylinder of the compression-head with the compressionchamber 1 formed therein by means of the ad justable head 2, which latter is externally screw-threaded, as at 3, and capable of turning in the threads 1 of the cylinder A, as well as upon the threads of the depending pipe 5 in regulating the size of the compression-chamber 1, it being squared at 6 to receive a wrench whereby the head 2 is turned. To make a liquid-tightjoint, a rubber packing-ring 7 is placed above the shoulder 8, against which the follower 9 is forced by turning the ring 10 upon the external threads 11 of the head 2.

The numeral 12 indicates the throat of the filling-head. This is in the form of a cylinder which fits the bore 13 of the cylinder A, and the circumferential shoulder 14 of which is held rigidly against the lower end of the cylinder by the outer -cylindrical ring 15, which latter has a central orifice 16. The diameter of this orifice 16 is somewhat greater than the diameter of the bore of the throat 12, as shown. The lugs 17 at the lower end of the throat rest upon the ring 15 at the edge of this central orifice, and the ring in this way clamps the cylindrical throat between it and the end of the cylinder A, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and '3, at the same time compressing a packing-ring 18 in the annular recess 19 in the lower end of the cylinder A by crowding its upper edge 20, which fits the groove 19, against the packing-ring, and making an air-and water-tight joint.

The main bore 21 of the ring 15 is of greater size than the central orifice 16, whereby to form a continuation of the compression-chamber 1, the communication between the two being effected through holes 22, 22, the liquid being fed into the coinpression-chamber 1 through a pipe 23, and an automatically-controlled valve 24 at the side, and passing down through the holes 22 into the bore 21, and thence between the which to receive the crown, which is lugs 17 at the lower end of the throat into the bottle B, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2.

The mouth at the lower end of the throat 12 has a slight flare to facilitate the entrance therein of the crown C, and an annular groove 25 is formed in the throat to receive the crimped edge of the crown, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2 as a preliminary to the filling and subsequent crowning of the bottle.

Immediately above the groove 25, the throat tapers and reduces in size, as at 26, the function of which taper is to cause the edge of the crown to be crimped around the bead at the mouth of the bottle, as shown in Fig.3, which is the position of the parts just after the crowning has been completed.

The crown is placed in the throat from beneath, and the linger F is provided for that purpose. The finger F is a cylindrical plug, as shown in Fig. 5, which has a sleeve S surrounding it, and yieldably supported by a spring 27. A collar 28 is slidably mounted upon the sleeve S, where it is supported by a spring 29. The upper end of this collar has the beveled flanges 30, 30, with a space, as shown in Fig. 5, throqgh to the end of the finger through a source not shown in this application, but fully disclosed in an accompanying application Serial N 0. 76,791 filed the same date with this. The center of the crown rests over the upper end of finger F, with its crimped edge resting squarely and supported upon the upper edge of the sleeve S, as shown in Fig. 1.

The diameter of the collar 28 is greater than the size of the mouth 31 in the bottomplate 32 of the filling-head, and the diameter of the sleeve S corresponds with the diameter of the orifice 16 in the center of the ring 15, and is slightly greater than the diameter of the throat 12 at its lower end 25 just below the groove 25, so that when the head is lowered to this point, where the lower end 25 of the throat strikes the upper end of the sleeve as shown in Fig. 1, then the sleeve is pushed down against the tension of spring 27 to the stop below, and the finger is extended into the bore of the throat until the edge of the crown is sprung into the groove 25, after which the head is lifted, and the sleeve and collar on the finger resume their normal positions, due to the tension of the springs 27 and 29, and the head is now ready to receive, fill and crown the bottle.

The lock-nuts 50, 51, on the threaded stem of the finger F form an adjustable stop for the sleeve S, and constitute a means for regulating the extent of movement of the upper end of the finger beyond the end of the sleeve. A screw 52 extending through a slot 53 into the finger limits the upward movement of the sleeve. The lock-nuts 50, 51, also form an adjustable support for the lower end of the spring 27. Sleeve S has an elongated slot 54 in its side, which receives and straddles the screw 52 to prevent the sleeve and collar from turning with respect to each other, although permitting themrto slide freely.

A nut 55 on the lower end of the stem supports and regulates the tension of the spring 29.

A certain given movement of the sleeve S provided for by the adjustment of the lock-nuts 50, 51, is extremely important, for should the sleeve S fail to stop the finger F at a given point, which is just where it places the crown in the groove 25 in the throat, then it would have to be done by allowing the head to lower to just a given point, and then any variation in the height of the fingers would effect more or less the proper placing of the crowns in the grooves 25, as a very slight variation will cause the crowns to be placed either too high or too low. I have found the given movement of the sleeve S by far the best known means of accomplishing this. The two lock-nuts 50 and 51 on the threaded end of the finger just below the lower end of the sleeve form a solid support for the sleeve, which in turn forms a support for the entire head assembly from the time the cap has been properly placed until the filling-head is raised away from the sleeve. 100

The mouth of the bottle is clamped by the rubber-ring 33, which latter has a divided outer periphery which receives the metalring 34:, and which is clamped between the lower end of the ring 15 and the bottom- 105 plate 32 with the space 35 to receive water from the pipe 36, whereby the required hydraulic pressure is applied to effect a water and gas-tight joint between the mouth of the bottle and the rubber-ring 33, as shown 110 in Fig. 2, which takes place during the filling of the bottle, the carbonated water now flowing into the bottle as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 2.

The mouth 31 in the bottom-plate 32 has 115 to be of a certain size, both to receive the collar 28 and also to accommodate shortnecked bottles, as shown in Fig. 4c, and to provide for this size of mouth and still atford adequate lower support for the rubber ring 33, the loose ring 37 isprovided, which normally rests in a recess 38 provided for it, but which gives when struck by the shoulder of a short-necked bottle, as shown in Fig. 1, and is forced against the rubber ring 33, thus allowing the mouth of the bottle to extend deep enough into the head to receive the full pressure required to crimp the crown thereon, all of which is shown in Fig. 4.

To properly compress the cork in the crown upon the mouth of the bottle and keep it true and in place as it is forced on up into the throat 12 in the crowning of the bottle, the cup-shaped buffer 39 is provided. This is loosely fitted within the throat and supported by the stem 4-0, which passes loosely through an orifice 41 in the top of the throat, the clearance space 42 being provided in the head 2 for the stem. A spring 43 is confined within the cup-shaped buffer, and bears between it and the inner end of the cylindrical throat wherein the spring is compressed as the buffer yields with the downward move ment of the filling-head in the crowning operation, the springactuated cup-shaped buffer offering a certain amount of resistance, suflicient to keep the crown tight upon the mouth of the bottle, until the upper edge of the buffer strikes the inner end of the throat, as shown in Fig. 3, when the final compression of the cork lining and the crimping of the edge of the crown around the bead at the mouth of the bottle is completed.

The ring 15 and the base-plate 32 are independently and adjustably secured to the main cylinder A by threaded-screws 4A, upon which the nuts a5 and a6 turn to respectively adjust the ring 15 to compress the packing 18 and clamp the throat in place, and to adjust the bottom plate 32 respectively, to secure the rubber ring 33 in place between the metal ring 3e and the lower end of the ring 15 and the bottom-plate 32, so that while these adjustments are independent of each other, they are on the same threaded screws, thus affording a compact and convenient means of tightening up these parts, and making their joints perfectly gas and water-tight.

Mention has previously been made of the beveled flanges 30, 30, on the upper end of the finger-collar. The effect of this is to give a general taper to the end, which, in conjunction with the bell mouth or funnelshape of the entrance into the filling-head, serves to bring about a proper connection between the filling-head and finger if they are not otherwise in precise and accurate alinement, as the general flare of the open end of the filling-head upon striking the beveled flanges of the collar efl'ects an immediate and accurate centering and axial alinement, preparatory to the entrance of the finger into the filling-head.

I claim:

1. Abottle-filling head comprising a plate, a cylindrical ring, and having a fluid-pressure clamping-ring therebetween, and a loose metallic ring on one side of the clamping ring aflording a partial support therefor, and means for discharging fluid into the filling head.

2. A filling-head having a fluid-pressure clamping-ring adjacent to the mouth, solid means between which said ring is held, a loose ring held between one of said means and the fluid-pressure ring, and located at the mouth of the filling-head, whereby to afford a portion of the support for the fluidpressure clamping-ring, and at the same time capable of yielding if engaged by a short-necked bottle or like obstruction, and means for discharging fluid int-o the filling head.

3. The combination of a filling-head having a mouth at one end, and a throat within, the throathaving an annular groove to receive and support the edge of a bottle-crown, a finger, sleeve and collar slidably and concentrically connected together, so that the upper end of the sleeve forms an annular support for the entire flange of the crown, the mouth of the filling-head acting as a. stop for the collar, and the lower end of the throat. as a stop for the sleeve while the finger is carrying the bottle-crown to its position to enter the annular groove in the throat, and means for discharging fluid into the filling head.

l, In a filling-head, the combination with a cylinder, of a ring and a throat clamped between one end of the cylinder and a part of the ring, means for securing the cylinder and ring together, said end of the cylinder having an annular groove and a packing in said groove, and the adjacent end of the ring fitted to enter said groove, whereby, when the throat is clamped, a gas and liquidtight joint is formed between said parts, and means for discharging fluid into the filling head.

5. In a filling-head, the combination ofa cylinder, a head movable therein, whereby to form an adjustable compression-chamber between the two, a ring, a throat fitted to a contral bore in the end of the cylinder, and having a shoulder which engages the end of the cylinder and resting at its lower end on the ring, the ring having an enlarged bore to form a continuation of the compressionchamber, the end of the cylinder having holes whereby said chambers are in communication, a packing-joint between the ring and cylinder to prevent the escape of gas or liquid, means for securing the cylinder and ring together and to clamp, the throat be tween them. and means for discharging fluid into the filling head.

6. In a filling-head, the combination of a cylinder, a ring, a throat, a rubber-fluidpressure ring having a divided outer edge, a metallic ring inserted between said edges, a bottom-plate, threaded screws secured to the cylinder, and passing through parts of th ring and bottom-plate, a packing-joint between the cylinder and ring, nuts on said screws for independently forcing the ring toward the cylinder and compressing the packing-joint therebetween, and for compressing the outer edges of the rubber fluid-pressure ring between the bottom-plate on one side and said metallic ring on the other, and ineaps for discharging fluid into the filling ieac.

7. In a filling-head, the combination of a cylinder, a throat, a solid ring clamped to the cylinder and for holding the throat between it and the cylinder, a spring-actuated cup-shaped buffer fitted loosely within the throat and confining the spring within the latter, and means for discharging fluid into the filling head. 7

8. In a filling-head, the combination of a cylinder, a throat, a solid ring clamped to the cylinder and for holding the throat between it and the cylinder, a spring-actuated cup-shaped bufi'er loosely fitted within the throat and confining the spring within the latter, a bottom-plate, a fluid-pressure clamping-ring between said bottom-plate and solid ring, means for independently adjusting the solid ring and bottom-plate with respect to each other, and with respect to the cylinder, and means for discharging fluid into the filling head.

9. A filling head comprising a cylindrical ring, and a base plate having a metal ring loosely supported therein, a fluid pressure clamping ring between the cylindrical ring and base, and means for discharging fluid into the filling head.

10. The combination of a filling-head having a mouth at one end, and a throat within, the throat having an annular groove to receive and support the edge of a bottle-crown, a finger, sleeve and collar slidably and concentrically connected together, so that the upper end of the sleeve forms an annular support for the entire flange of the crown, the mouth of the filling-head acting as a stop for the collar, and the lower end of the throat as a stop for the sleeve while the finger is carrying the bottle-crown to its position to enter the annular groove in the throat, the sleeve as a stop for the finger after it has placed the crown in proper location, and means for discharging fluid into the filling head,

11. The combination with a filling-head having a throat therein, said throat having a groove to receive the bottle-crown, ot' a finger, sleeve and collar concentrically supported and having sliding connection with each other, the mouth of th filling-head in position to engage and lower the collar, the lower end of the throat to lower the sleeve, means on the finger in position to engage the sleeve whereby to limit the downward movement of the sleeve and the entrance of the finger into the throat to a predetermined point, and means for discharging fluid into the filling head.

12. The combination with a filling-head having a throat therein, said throat having a groove to receive the bottle-crown, of a finger, sleeve and collar concentrically supported and having sliding connection with each other, the mouth of the filling-head in position to engage and lower the collar, the lower end of the throat to lower the sleeve, means on the finger in position to engage the sleeve whereby to limit the downward movement of the sleeve and the entrance of the finger into the throat to a predetermined point, springs bearing upwardly upon the collar and sleeve, one of said springs interposed between the sleeve and the means on the finger which limits the downward movement of the sleeve, and means for discharging fluid into the filling head.

Intestimony whereof I-afiiX my signature.

SAMUEL KAYE. 

